Self-propelled riding attachment for an implement



Dec. 22, 1964 J. NEITZER, JR

SELF-PROPELLED RIDING ATTACHMENT FOR AN IMPLEMENT Filed July 11, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 R m m w BY Jqmy 447275; M

Dec. 22, 1964 J. NEITZER, JR

SELF-PROPELLED RIDING ATTACHMENT FOR AN IMPLEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 11, 1961 ililiilli'lllllf I appplp4 IE/EKIE Dec. 22, 1964 J. NEITZER, JR 3,161,994

SELF-PROPELLED RIDING ATTACHMENT FOR-AN IMPLEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 11, 1961 Dec. 22, 1964 J. NEITZER, JR

SELF-PROPELLED RIDING ATTACHMENT FOR AN IMPLEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 11, 1961 INVENTOR. zai 44/725 14, BY

ram 7] United States Patent 3,161,994 SELF-PROPELLED RIDING ATTACHMENT FQR AN lit ELEMENT Jacob Neitzer, J12, 2821 N. 18th St, Milwaukee, Wis. Filed July 11, 1961, Ser. No. 123,974 15 Claims. (Cl. 51-176) This invention relates to a self-propelled riding attachment for an implement. The invention is exemplified in a combination of riding attachment and floor sander. It has been found possible to do a tremendously increased amount of work in a given length of time, and to do work of superior quality, and with greatly reduced effort, when an otherwise conventional floor sander is equipped with a riding attachment according to the present invention.

A heavy duty floor sander is capable of traversing the fioor at a speed faster than an operator can comfortably walk. Moreover, because of the increased rate of speed at which the sander may be operated with the disclosed attachment, and because the operator is relieved of the problem and stress and imbalance attendant upon personal locomotion, there is less tendency to out too deeply into the flooring at any point, the abrasive action being better distributed and more uniform than is possible if the operator is on foot.

To achieve these results, the disclosed device locates the controls of the riding attachment and those of the sander where all are conveniently accessible to the operator. In addition, the attachment permits the seated operator to lift the sanding drum from the floor, and to restore it to the floor, much more smoothly than is possible without the stable support provided by the attachment seat.

As applied to a particular commercially available structure, the riding attachment makes use of existing nuts and bolts to mount a coupling member to which the selfpropelled attachment is readily applicable whenever needed.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of an assembly of a commercial sander and self-propelled riding attachment.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the attachment taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, parts being broken away.

FIG. 3 is a view taken in section on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, parts being broken away.

FIG. 4 is a view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary detail view taken in the plane indicated at 5-5 of FIG. 2, parts being broken away.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail view in the plane indicated at 66 in FIG. 5, parts being broken away.

FIG. 7 is a detail view in perspective showing the de tachable tow bar or coupling member used both for steering and for the connection of the attachment to the sander.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary detail view taken in section on line 8-8 of FIG. 2, parts being broken away.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary detail view taken in section on line 9-9 of FIG. 8, parts being broken away.

The conventional sander generally designated by reference character 10, comprises a sanding drum 11, belt driven from motor 12 and self-propelled in the sense that the direction of rotation of the drum and the friction thereof on the floor 13, tends to draw the sander forwardly or to the right as viewed in FIG. 1.

Commercially, the entire sander is pivoted at 14 to a subframe 15 which has a supporting portion 16 underlying the sander 10 and provided with forward wheels at 17. From this subframe a bracket arm 18 projects rearwardly and is provided with a caster wheel 19. A guiding handle 20 projects upwardly from the subframe 15 and carries a control lever 21 connected by link 22 with ice the sander 11}. If the lever 21 is oscillated from the full line to the dotted line position of FIG. 1, the entire sander 10 is rocked upon its pivotal connection 14 with the subframe counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow 23, thereby lifting the sanding drum 11 from contact with the floor surface 13.

The invention contemplates an attaching element 25 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 7 which may be mounted to the subframe 15 of the commercial assembly above described, by simply loosening the nuts on the bolt 26 which secures the handle 20 and the bolt 27 which secures the caster wheel 19. With these nuts removed, the attaching element 25 is applicable to the bolts. Its flanges 28 engage the sides of the bracket arm 18 and when the nuts are replaced, the attaching element is securely fixed to the sanding implement.

A cross pin 30 spans the attaching element 25 to couple thereto the draw bar of tongue 31, the forward end of' which is telescopically receivable into the element 25 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. The draw bar 31 not only provides a closely coupled connection between the sander and the riding attachment hereinafter described, but it also serves to permit the operator to steer the assembly, as will hereinafter be explained. It also maintains the riding attachment level upon the two wheels provided for its support.

The Riding Attachment I The riding attachment comprises a frame including laterally spaced members 33 and 34 supported by the axle 35 upon which the propelling and supporting wheels 36 and 37 are mounted (FIGS. 2 and 9).

The axle 35 is driven by chain 38 from a sprocket 39 which may be clutched and unclutched respecting jack shaft 40 by means of a clutch collar 41 splined to the jack shaft 40 and having jaws 42 engageable with sprocket 39, the jaws being shown in FIG. 9, in disengaged position. The collar 41 is reciprocated on shaft 40 by a shipper 43 operated by link 44 from rocker arm 45 on rock shaft 46, controlled by hand lever 47. The rod 48 carries hearing member 49 for the rock shaft 46 and it also guides the shipper 43 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

The jack shaft 40 is selectively driven either forwardly or in reverse from motor 50. The motor has a double ended armature shaft 51 provided with V-belt pulleys 52 and 53 for driving belts 54 and 55 respectively. These belts are trained over driven pulleys 56 and 57 on jack shaft 40. However, whereas belt 55 encircles pulley 53, it will be noted from FIG. 2 that belt 54 underlies pulley 52, being trained around the idler pulley 58. Thus, when the drive operates through pulley 52 and belt 54, the direction of jack shaft rotation is the reverse of that which occurs when the drive is through pulley 53 and belt 55.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the motor 50 is mounted on a cradle 60 pivoted at 61 to the frame of the riding attachment. The cradle is oscillated on its pivot by the levers 62 and 63 which are cross connected by a bar 64 as shown in FIG. 2, this bar being connected with a slide 65 slotted to receive the transverse support rod 48 above mentioned. The slide carries cam follower rollers 66 and 67 acted on by the opposing cam surfaces 68 and 69 of a cam 70 which is pivoted on the support rod 48 and connected by link 71 with forward and reverse lever 72.

, The lever is shown in FIG. 4 in its neutral position, the

slide 65 being centered on the rod 48 and the motor being in a position in which the armature pulleys 52 and 53 are not tightened upon either of the driven belts 54, 55.

If the control lever 72 is moved to the right as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4, the cam 70 will rock clockwise on the rod 48, thereby moving the cam follower slide 65 to the right as viewed in FIG. 4. This will further loosen the driving pulley 53 respecting the rearward propulsion belt 55, but will engage the driving pulley 52. operatively with the forward propulsion belt 54. In the final position of engagement, the flattened extremity 74 of the earn 7 4 will engage within the roller 67 to lock the slide in the position in which the attachment is forwardly propelled.

If the control lever '72 is moved to the left as viewed in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the earn 7% will be oscillated counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4 and this will actuate the slide 65 to the left. Ultimately, the flattened extremity 75 of cam 70 will engage within the cam follower roller 66 to lock the parts in a position in which driving screw 53 is in pressure engagement within the bight of rearward propulsion belt 55, the pulley 52 being disengaged from the forward propulsion belt 54.

As shown in FIG. 3 each belt is desirably provided with one or more guides 77, 78 to confine the belt runs between the driving and driven pulleys so that the form and position of each belt will be maintained during movement of the driving pulleys to and from operative engagement as the armature shaft 51 of motor 58 moves arcuately between the driving positions above described due to the pivoting of the motor on the fulcrum rod 61. On the far side of the machine the upper guide is omitted because here the belt 54 runs beneath the pulley 52 and the pulley 52 itself serves as a guide to prevent the upper run of the belt from bowing outwardly.

The frame as above described supports a housing 30 which encloses the belts and pulleys of the driving mechanisms and carries a resilient mounting 81 for the drivers seat 82. The housingalso provides foot rests 83. The housing may be pivoted rearwardly with respect to the frame to afford access to the driving mechanisms as shown in FIG. 3.

I The steering lever 85 is mounted on a rock shaft 86 as best shown in FIG. 5. Its rocker arm 37 is tubular and is telescopically engaged with the arm extension 88 which has a terminal ball 89 for which the bar 31 provides a socket 90. The bar is pivoted on a vertical fulcrum 95 and has a guiding roller 96 operating in a guide channel 97 of arcuate form. Swinging the lever 85 from side to side will oscillate the bar 31, thereby changing the angle between the attachment and the sander so that the op erator can accurately guide the movement of the sander both as to direction and speed. Since the speed is consistent, being determined by the drive from the motor 50 of the attachment, the rate of sander movement across the floor will be consistent and inaccuracies resulting from the varying rates at which individuals walk are eliminated.

The operators seat 82 is immediately adjacent not only to the controls of the attachment, but to those of the com mercial sander including the handle 20 and the lever 21 which controls, engagement of'the sander drum with the floor. However, the handle 20 need not be used for guiding the sander when the attachment is in use. and the operator therefore needs to concern himself during any given operation only with the steering lever 85 and the lever 72 whichcontrols forward and reverse movement.

Because the operator is securely and firmly seated in a fixed position respecting the sander, his manipulation of lever 21 is much more gradual and uniform'than would be possible if he were standing behind the implement on the floor. He is no longer concerned with problems. of walking movement or his own balance.

In sanding large surfaces like those of gymnasiurns and ballrooms, the sander may be and is operated at speeds greater than those which are practicable for a sander operated by an individual on foot. This contributes not only to reduced costs, but to greatly increased uniformity of sanding operation. Moreover, a given operator can do, without tiring, an enormously greater amount of work than would be his capacity if he were on foot. The result is greatly improved work in much greater volume at reduced cost and With much less elfort than has heretofore been possible.

I claim:

1. The combination with a power sander including a wheeled frame and having a sanding drum and a subframe upon which the drum is mounted, said subframe having behind the drum a pivotal connection with the wheeled frame upon which said sander subframe is tiltable in directions to remove the drum from the floor and to restore it to the floor for sanding, of a self-propelled riding attachment having a connection with said wheeled frame of the sander and provided with a seat.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said attachment has a bar constituting means connecting it with the wheeled frame of the sander and has a steering means connected with the bar for moving the bar from side to side whereby to vary the steering angle between the attachrnent and the sander.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which the attachment comprises a motor and supporting and driving wheels and means for reversibly communicating motion from the motor to the wheels.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which the motor has a double ended armature shaft and the means of communicating motion comprises pulleys on the end of the shaft, a jack shaft connected with the wheels, and endless means connecting the pulleys with the jack shaft and extending across the respective pulleys in opposite sense, and means for tightening a respective pulley against a given endless connecting means while concurrently withdrawing the other said pulley from the other said connecting means.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which motion transmitting means is connected from the jack shaft to the wheels including a clutch whereby motion to the wheels may be interrupted irrespective of the driving engagement of either of said pulleys with its respective endless driving means.

6. The combination with a sander having an abrasivecarrying rotor and a driving motor therefor, and having means for moving said rotor bodily to and from operative sanding position, of a guiding handle provided with an operating lever connected with said means, and a selfpropelled riding'attachment provided with a motor and driving wheels and with a connection with said sander and having a seat proximate to said lever whereby an operator on said seat can readily move the rotor to and from operative position.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which said sander comprises a rear caster and a bracket therefor and the attachment comprises a fitting in detachable connection with a portion of said bracket.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which the connection between the attachment and the sander comprises a bar having a coupling means connecting it with said fitting, said attachment having a generally upright pintle upon which the bar is mounted and having steering means connected with the bar for the shifting thereof in a generally horizontal direction about said pintle.

9. The combination set forth in claim 6 in which the attachment has steerable means connecting it with the sander and a steering lever connected with said means for the operation thereof, said lever being disposed in proximity to the aforesaid lever of the sander to be conveniently accessible to an operator on said seat.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 in which the attachment comprises driving connections from the motor to the wheels which include clutch and reversing means having a manually operative control lever disposed proximate said steering lever and the sander lever first men- 'tioned to be conveniently accessible to an operator using means providing a driving connection from the motor to the wheels and including reversing means, and steering and reversing control means in proximity to each other at the front of the vehicle, the top of the vehicle being surmounted by a seat.

12. The device of claim 11 in which the reversing means comprises a pivoted mounting for the motor, the motor having driving pulley means, and driven belts with which the pulley means are respectively engageable in 0pposite directions of movement of the mounting means and motor, the engagement of the pulley means with one of said belts being opposite in sense to the engagement of the pulley means with the other belt, and means for communicating driving movement of the respective belts to the vehicle wheels.

13. In a self-propelled riding attachment, the combination with a wheeled vehicle having a frame, of a motor mounted on the frame and having driving connections for actuating the vehicle, saidconnections including reversing means, a reciprocable slide connected with said reversing means for the actuation thereof and provided With cam followers, and a pivoted cam having a mounting pintle between said followers and having cam surfaces respectively engaging the respective cam followers for the actuation of said slide in opposite directions according to the pivotal position of the cam.

14. The combination set forth in claim 13 in which each of said cam surfaces terminates in a surface substantially normal to its radius from said pintle for abutting the respective cam follower at one extreme position of the cam to lock the cam against return from such extreme position.

15. The combination set forth in claim 14 in which the reversing mechanism comprises a pair of belts for which the motor has separate pulleys movable in opposite directions against the respective belts for the actuation thereof in a different sense, driven means which communicate motion from the respective belts to the vehicle Wheels, a rocking carriage having means pivoting it upon the vehicle frame and upon which the motor is mounted for the movement of its pulleys toward and away from respective belts, said carriage having a lever with which said slide is connected.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 758,424 Darrell Apr. 26, 1904 881,639 Wattles Mar. 19, 1908 1,243,949 Kelly Oct. 23, 1917 2,201,420 Zschau May 21, 1940 2,299,859 Speiser Oct. 27, 1942 2,812,696 Henry Nov. 12, 1959 2,884,796 Ciaccio May 5, 1959 2,892,505 Goodwin June 30, 1959 2,924,928 Rhoades et al Feb. 16, 1960 2,971,314 Lewis Feb. 14, 1961 2,973,536 Doyle Mar. 7, 1961 2,978,857 Smith et al. Apr. 11, 1961 2,991,612 Holmes July 11, 1961 

6. THE COMBINATION WITH A SANDER HAVING AN ABRASIVECARRYING ROTOR AND A DRIVING MOTOR THEREFOR, AND HAVING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ROTOR BODILY TO AND FROM OPERATIVE SANDING POSITION, OF A GUIDING HANDLE PROVIDED WITH AN OPERATING LEVER CONNECTED WITH SAID MEANS, AND A SELFPROPELLED RIDING ATTACHMENT PROVIDED WITH A MOTOR AND DRIVING WHEELS AND WITH A CONNECTION WITH SAID SANDER AND HAVING A SEAT PROXIMATE TO SAID LEVER WHEREBY AN OPERATOR ON SAID SEAT CAN READILY MOVE THE ROTOR TO AND FROM OPERATIVE POSITION. 